10 Dave & Buster's Appetizers, Ranked Worst To Best

If you've never stepped foot into a Dave & Buster's (which has locations in nearly every U.S. state and abroad), you're missing out. And I'm not just referencing the plethora of arcade games at your disposal, though that's certainly the franchise's most visible draw. But you'd be remiss to go to Dave & Buster's solely for some game time; it also has some stellar food.

Personally, I'm an appetizer girl. A whole meal is great and all, but I'd prefer to munch on a variety of small bites any day, so you can imagine how down I was to coordinate a little appetizer tasting with the crew at Dave & Buster's. I'll admit, my appetizer standards are pretty high. Though I wouldn't call my palate "gourmet" by any means, I hold my apps to a fairly high standard. 

I encountered some hits and some misses among the appetizers I tried for this tasting, but they were mostly hits, and the misses weren't egregious by any means. I ranked each one based on its flavor and texture and considered how they matched up to other versions of the appetizer I've had before.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Unfortunately, the biggest miss of the bunch was Dave & Buster's Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls — and, again, they still weren't the biggest miss in the whole world. Philly cheesesteak egg rolls aren't a particularly new or novel concoction, but they were new to me as of this tasting, making this the only product that I couldn't compare to previous experiences. I do wonder if that altered its ranking here. 

On the plus side, the exterior of the egg rolls was true to form. The rolls had that enviable crunch you look for in the appetizer, though they weren't as flaky or bubbly as I'd expect from a traditional egg roll. The interior, on the other hand, didn't hold enough interest for me to rank this appetizer any higher. It was primarily cheese and meat, meaning there wasn't a lot going on texturally, and I also didn't find it to be as flavorful as I expected. Some of the higher-ranked appetizers were really impressive, and in light of that, I had to rank the Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls last. 

This pigs-in-a-blanket upgrade wraps the dogs in a pretzel exterior, which should be a hole-in-one. First, the pros: The pretzel dogs were every bit as flavorful as I would've hoped. The exterior is buttery, and the hot dog is juicy with a great snap. I also really liked the habanero sauce that came with the appetizer, though after trying the pair together, I felt like the sauce might be doing too much of the heavy lifting. Still, that's a nitpick, as the sauce didn't detract from this app too much.

I just didn't like how soft the pretzel exterior was. I had hoped for something with a little more body, and though it definitely tasted like a pretzel, it felt more like biting through bread. The website lists this app as one of its "most liked" options, and I don't think this aspect would deter too many eaters — but it was the one thing that kept these dogs from ranking higher on my list. 

Dave & Buster's version of spinach artichoke dip is called Cheesy Spinach Dip, as if to emphasize the impressive amount of cheese. Indeed, the top was super cheesy, which only endeared me to it — who could say no to that bubbly, golden-brown crust? A couple of things kept this appetizer at an eighth-place ranking, but overall, it'll easily satisfy a craving for spinach artichoke dip. 

Firstly, a flaw that's all too common with any chip-and-dip pairing: The chips were a little too flimsy and couldn't make it through the cheese crust without breaking. It's a minor detail, but notable nonetheless. I loved how salty the chips were, though, and the little side of salsa brought some welcome pizzazz into the equation. 

The dip itself was way more spinach-forward than I'm used to. I didn't mind that, but I don't love cooked spinach, so it kept me from ranking this any higher (though I could see the abundance of spinach being a pro for some customers). Overall, this is a good, standard app — I simply found the higher-ranked apps more appealing. 

"Mountain O' Nachos" was probably the most apt name that Dave & Buster's could have chosen for this appetizer. I was genuinely taken aback when it came out to my table. The plate of nachos is absolutely massive and heavy to boot, and I needed a whole pizza box to take the leftovers home. The good thing is that it'll feed a crowd easily. If you're planning on ordering the nachos as a dinner for two, plan on it being your whole meal.

Admittedly, I'm not the biggest loaded nachos gal, so this wasn't the most enticing appetizer for me. In the realm of loaded nachos, though, it was definitely good. I was impressed by the structure; I dug into the middle of the pile to see how the chips were holding up, and they hadn't gotten soggy in the slightest. All the elements were present in pretty equal proportions, and I really liked the queso blanco. However, I didn't get any meat in the bites I had. It was probably hiding somewhere, but I hoped it would be more apparent on the outside of the dish, which prevented me from ranking it any higher. 

I was given numerous warnings when Dave & Buster's Blazin' Habanero wings reached my table; apparently, the entire staff at the location I visited found them to be pretty darn hot. I'll admit, they look menacingly bright. I promised I'd take small bites. What I found, though, wasn't unbearable heat. Instead, I was hit with a sucker punch of unrelenting flavor. I loved them, and there's only one reason they didn't make the top five.

Had the wings been crispier on the outside, I easily could have placed them a few spots higher on this list, but that's not the worst thing in the world. Do I think these merit a warning to unsuspecting customers? Absolutely — they're definitely hot, and eating a whole one without warning might be a little painful. But I didn't find them to be too hot at all. Perhaps I've become immune since trying the whole Hot Ones lineup? Maybe I don't have an accurate gauge as to how hot is "too hot" anymore, so take my words with a grain of salt, particularly if you're spice-averse. Otherwise, dig in!

I'm a sucker for a good plate of fries, and Dave & Buster's Fries GPT — which are dressed with garlic butter, Parmesan, and truffle dust — were certainly that. I mean, look at them. I firmly believe that you can tell how good a plate of fries is going to be merely by looking at it, and they certainly looked scrumptious. The only reason I couldn't rank them higher was that, at the end of the day, they were still "just fries" — albeit very good ones. 

Any lovers of garlic Parmesan fries will enjoy these, and I'd suggest giving them a try even if you're not into truffle, as that flavor was fairly subtle. I also really appreciated the aioli pairing — though the fries don't need an accompaniment, the aioli goes with them very well. I could use a little more garlic flavor on the fries, but I'm also a garlic fiend, so that could be a personal hot take. If fries are your go-to appetizer at any restaurant, these definitely won't disappoint. 

Don't be fooled by the seemingly compact size of Dave & Buster's Grilled Chicken Quesadilla; each triangle is thick as can be and absolutely packed with fillings. Just one piece of it can serve as an appetizer for a single person. Moreover, it's wildly attractive. How could I say no to anything with a crispy, cheesy, perfectly cooked, and golden-brown exterior?

The quesadilla fulfilled almost all of my expectations; I could even see myself ordering this as a meal if I were in the mood for it. It was stuffed with fajita chicken, and the crispy exterior was wonderful to bite into. The one thing I'd hoped to find more of was melty cheese. I could tell there was cheese inside the quesadilla, but the chicken was far more prominent — again, a nitpicky thing, but a factor nonetheless. An abundance of cheese could have bumped this up to spot number two (but nothing could usurp my top pick). 

I mean, come on — I was salivating just looking at these bad boys after they hit my table. I had to remind myself to take pictures before diving in. I adore soft pretzels; Auntie Anne's is a mandatory mall and airport stop for me, and I've been known to make my own soft pretzels at home when I'm hosting a game night. So, there was no way these soft pretzels could be a miss. 

First off, the pretzel sticks are absolutely ginormous, which is never a bad thing in my book. Secondly, they're practically doused in butter — another pro. They're also amply salty, and the scattering of herbs on top is a welcome touch. I didn't love them dipped in the queso blanco, but I thought the honey mustard that came with the sticks was absolutely divine. If you, too, are a pretzel-head, these will easily satisfy. Even though I could munch on them all day long, my top two picks were still unbeatable. 

Have you ever been busy munching on a bag of Takis, only to think, "Man, I wish I had these in wing form?" If so, head on over to Dave & Buster's, stat. The chain's Chili Lime wings were all hits and no misses, and what's more, I can't say I've ever had a chili-lime wing before. If I see the flavor on a menu again, you best believe I'm ordering it without a second thought. 

I found an absolutely perfect flavor balance in these wings. The chili did contribute a decent amount of heat, but the lime kept it from biting too hard, lifted the whole wing, and mellowed out the spice a bit. I ended up dipping the wings in the aioli that accompanied my Fries GPT, and the duo was a match made in heaven. 

Moreover, the wings were ultra-crispy and meaty, perfectly satisfying for any lover of boneless wings. Kudos to Dave & Buster's on this inventive wing flavor — though I loved it, it didn't have a chance at snagging the top spot here. 

In the world of appetizers, nothing will ever top a mozzarella stick. That's not to say that bad mozzarella sticks don't exist — just that a good one will always be an S-tier appetizer in my book. And, fortunately for Dave & Buster's, its Cheese Stick Stack hit the spot and easily filled the mozzarella-stick-shaped hole in my stomach.

The hallmark of a good mozzarella stick is, obviously, the cheese pull. These sticks passed the cheese pull test with flying colors. The cheese stretched so much that I had to break it with my fingers. Beyond that, the flavor of these mozzarella sticks was unbeatable. A decent cheese pull needs a crispy, flavorful exterior to match, and these certainly fit the bill. The cheese shredded on top was a welcome touch, and the breading on the outside was seasoned and fried to perfection. I was glad these came out at the end of my tasting — had I not been as full as I was, I would've probably eaten the whole thing. Fellow mozzarella stick fans, take it from a member of your own tribe: Dave & Buster's Cheese Stick Stack is an appetizer that really can't be beat. 

It was a treat getting to rank Dave & Buster's appetizers, and, as a whole, I was very pleased with what was put in front of me. The actual ranking wasn't too difficult — while some appetizers didn't quite hit the spot for me, I thoroughly enjoyed others, which made ranking them a relatively easy task.

When ranking the appetizers, I first and foremost compared each appetizer to versions of it that I'd had at other restaurants. Appetizers that didn't meet my expectations ranked toward the bottom, while those that exceeded expectations ranked toward the top. I took into account both flavor and texture when making this list — for example, the Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls ranked last because they didn't have a ton of flavor, while the Chili Lime wings were bursting with it.